


The Fairest Of Them All

by Gem1620



Category: El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera
Genre: Alternate Universe - Snow White Fusion, F/M, Snow White Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-09
Updated: 2018-11-16
Packaged: 2019-05-04 13:34:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14594130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gem1620/pseuds/Gem1620
Summary: A maiden as beautiful and pure as snow, despised by a queen as jealous and evil as darkness,  loved by a handsome prince, and be friended by not seven dwarves but three miners.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Several changes in this. One Frida is fourteen, Manny is sixteen, and Zoe is twenty. There are no dwarves only miners and there's three of them. And there's an original character in here because in the world of El Tigre , Manny and Frida don't have many friends. Please comment and please be kind.

Once upon a time on a cold winter's day, a fair and gentle hearted queen called Carmela sat by the window sewing when suddenly a bluebird perched itself on to the window sill. Startled by the bird's unexpected appearance the queen accidentally pricked her finger on her needle. Three drops of red blood fell from her finger and on to the white snow that had fallen on to her window sill. She couldn't help but notice how beautiful the snow looked as did the three drops of blood and the bluebird, so beautiful were they that she couldn't help but think.

"Oh if only I could have a child as fair and pure as snow, as red and rosy as blood , and as blue and deep as a bluebird's wings."

Sometime later the queen gave birth to a baby girl with skin as fair and pure as snow, cheeks and lips as red and rosy as blood, and eyes and oddly enough hair as blue and deep as a bluebird's wings. The child was named Frida and her father, mother, and the entire kingdom loved her immediately. Sadly however when Frida was born her mother died leaving the entire kingdom heartbroken and her father King Emiliano very lonely and sad. The only thing that made him truly happy was the little daughter his beloved wife had left behind.

Then one day when Frida was seven years old her father remarried. His new wife was a widow named Carmelita who had a daughter from her first marriage named Zoe who was a few years older than Frida was. The king was overjoyed by the marriage for he had thought he had found a mother to take care of his daughter and a playmate for her as well. Unfortunately for him a happy family was not going to be the case for them. Her new stepmother didn't like her because she knew that her husband would always love Frida and her mother more than her so whenever her husband wasn't looking she was as mean as she could be to the child and she coached her own daughter to be unkind to her as well.

Frida and Zoe never got along. They always bickered and spat at each other. Never was a peaceful moment when those two were in the same room. Emiliano was always busy with his royal duties so he wasn't around much to spend time with his daughter or see what his new wife and stepdaughter were really like. Frida only had one friend and that was the young prince of another kingdom named Manny. They met at age five and had been close friends ever since, whenever her stepmother or stepsister harassed her he was always there to protect her from them, whenever they made her cry he was always there to make her happy. She wasn't sure what she would do without him. 

Then one very sad day, her father had to go away to fight in a battle where he was killed. Poor Frida was heartbroken by his death for not only had she lost the only family she had left but now her stepmother was the soul ruler of the kingdom. She disinherited Frida from the throne and decreed that Zoe would take her place as the new ruler so when Carmelita died in a sudden horse riding accident Zoe was crowned queen of the land.

Now Zoe was a very beautiful girl, very beautiful indeed some would say she was the most beautiful woman in creation and she was obsessed with her beauty and couldn't bear the thought of anyone being more fair than she was. Frida's vain and wicked stepsister feared that one day the girl's beauty would far surpass her own so she dressed her in rags and made her work as a scullery maid. Each day she would ask a magic mirror her mother had given her who was the fairest one of all and as long as the mirror answered that she was then Frida was safe from the queen's jealousy.

Seven more years passed and during that time, despite being forced to work everyday and wear rags, Frida grew into a very beautiful young lady. By the time she was fourteen years old she had grown so beautiful and fair that she surpassed every other woman's beauty in the entire kingdom even the queen's.


	2. Chapter 2

In a secret room hidden in the castle an incredibly beautiful woman with crow black hair and purple eyes was approaching her most precious object, the magic mirror. She was dressed in regal garments of black and purple with dark gothic jewels that decorated her dress and crown. This woman was Queen Zoe who was once again going to ask her same question but today she was going to get a different answer. 

"Slave in the magic mirror." She called. "Come from the farthest space, through wind and darkness I summon thee. Speak! Let me see thy face!"

Thunder cracked and lighting flashed, the image of a dark, ominous, ghost like face appeared in the mirror surrounded by smoke and flames. 

"What would thou wish to know my queen?" It spoke.

"Magic mirror on the wall, who is the fairest one of all?" She asked.

"Famed is thy beauty majesty." The mirror answered. "But behold, a lovely maid I see. Rags cannot hide her gentle grace, alas she is more fair than thee."

"Alas for her! Reveal her name!" Zoe snapped.

"lips rosy as blood, hair blue as the sky, skin pure as snow."

"Frida!" She cried out enraged. 

Meanwhile outside dressed in rags and scrubbing the castle stairs with great aggravation and annoyance was an even more beautiful maiden with hair and eyes as blue as a bluebird's wings, cheeks and lips as rosy as blood, and skin as fair and pure as snow. This girl was Frida now a teenager who had found it harder and harder each day to be happy because ever since her father died she had become utterly miserable. Constantly doing harsh chores assigned to her by her stepsister. she knew she wasn't perfect, she knew that sometimes she could do things that could cause trouble but did she really deserve this?

She went over to the castle gardens and picked an apple off of one of the trees there. She then sat by the garden well and began to eat it. As she enjoyed her snack several white doves fluttered down and perched themselves on to the well. 

"Hello." She said. "Would you like a treat?"

She pulled a knife from her apron pocket and cut the apple in two. She while she continued eating one half she left the second half on the ground for the birds to enjoy. The doves cooed at her then began eating bits of the apple slice. 

"You guys are lucky." She said to the doves. "You have wings, you can fly away from here but I can't. I'm trapped here."

Unknown to Frida, a handsome young man in his teen years was riding up to the castle. He had dark, black-brown hair and kind brown eyes, he was dressed in a white dress shirt, a navy blue vest, and brown pants with black boots. This handsome young man was Frida's childhood friend Manny who had spent four years studying back at his kingdom. His father and mother had decided to let him take a break from his royal lessons since he had been doing so well with them. Since Manny hadn't seen Frida in four years he decided to pay her a visit. He had just arrived on his horse when he saw her in the garden and he was awestruck by what he saw. He was expecting Frida to be the same silly girl he knew from fours years earlier not a beautiful woman. When he realized that she didn't see him he smiled mischievously and as quietly as possible began to climb over the garden wall.

Frida still unaware of his presence, looked down in the well and gazed at her reflection in the water down below. She stuck her hand back in her apron pocket and pulled out a locket that contained a miniature portrait on each side, since her mother had died the day she was born she didn't remember what she looked like so her father gave her the locket with a miniature portrait of her mother so she would know what she looked like. After her father died she had a miniature portrait of her father placed on the other side of the locket. She looked at the portrait of her mother and then back at her reflection. For as long as she could remember people had always said she looked so much like Queen Carmela and that she would be just as beautiful as she was but Frida couldn't see herself as anything but plain.

"Boo!" She was startled by a pair of strong arms grabbing her waist.

"Whoever you are let me go this instant! I'm warning you I have a knife!"

"Oh come on Frida, you wouldn't cut you're best friend would you?"

"Manny?"

He released her and she gasped to see that the little boy from her past had now become tall and handsome.

"Manny is that really you?" She asked.

"Who else would it be?"

"Oh it's so good to see you." The two of them hugged each other which made Manny blush hard. "Where have you been?"

"Doing royal lessons and boring stuff like that. What about you?" 

"Oh not much, scrubbing floors, washing stairs, mending clothes, dusting, and all that stuff."

"Really? Doesn't sound the normal things a princess would do."

"Hate to break it to you Manny but I'm not exactly a princess anymore. After Papa died Zoe and my witch of a stepmother made me their slave, though it didn't last long for Carmelita because a horse threw her off and she crack her noggin on a stone."

"Really? So it's true the witch is dead." He joked.

"I told her digging those hot nails into the horses would cause her to have an accident."

"So if she's dead wouldn't they make you the new queen?"

"No, she disinherited me so Zoe was crowned queen when the old witch croaked."

"But she's not even royalty by birth, she married into it, well technically her mother did but you know what I mean."

"Yep but it doesn't matter. Listen I have to go right now but I'll see you later."

"Okay, meet me back here."

"When?"

"Tonight at seven o'clock."

"Okay."

He smiled as he watched her hurry back inside. Frida didn't know it but Manny had been in love with her since they were children. When he was a child he didn't really notice his growing feelings for her but then again most boys at that age didn't, it wasn't until he spent those four years away from her and missed her so much that he realized his feelings for her and now seeing her again as the most beautiful woman he had ever seen he was sure of his feelings with no doubt what so ever.


	3. Chapter 3

Zoe felt hatred and envy boil inside of her as she watched Frida scrub the floors of the kitchen. She couldn't possibly see how that mirror could declare her the fairest, after all she was just some dirty scullery maid who spent her days cleaning on her hands and knees. As she watched her she listened carefully to the comments the servants made when they saw her.

"What a pretty child and she'll be even more beautiful by the time she is ready to wed."

"She's so beautiful and fair, just like her dear mother was."

"Oh if only King Emiliano and Queen Carmela could've lived to see just how beautiful their daughter has become over the years."

"No doubt with beauty like hers she'll marry a prince."

"Ahem!" Zoe scoffed.

"Oh your majesty forgive us." The servant women said curtsying respectfully. "We did not see you."

"Get back to work! Now!"

"Yes ma'am."

"Your majesty." Her servant Chakal said.

"Yes?"

"Prince Manny has arrived unexpectedly."

"Oh has he now?" She said blowing.

"Tell him I shall meet him in the throne room."

"Yes your majesty."

She then went to meet him in the throne room. At first she wasn't looking forward to seeing him at all as she expected him to be the same annoying little boyfriend of Frida's that he was when they were kids but when she saw how handsome and strong he had grown. Her dislike was immediately forgotten. A man as handsome as he is, is most certainly worthy of being married to a queen as beautiful as I am she thought.

"Hello Zoe." He saw bowing respectfully. "It's good to see you again."

"You too." She said offering her hand for him to kiss which he did. "My you've changed, you've become more handsome."

"And you look beautiful as always."

"So what brings by?"

"Well I haven't been in here in four years so I thought now that my studies are done why not pay a visit to old friends also I heard about your mother's death so I'd like to pay my respects."

"No need for that, here's a little secret Mother never really liked you."

"Oh...Well that explains why she always gave me dirty looks."

"Yes apparently she was engaged to your father until he called off the marriage and married your mother."

"Oh yes I remember that but in my father's defense your mother was secretly married to another man during the time."

"That was never proven."

"Actually it was because three months into the engagement my father found out your mother was pregnant."

"Well the past is in the past and I can assure you that aside from my looks and I am nothing like my mother."

"Right." He said sarcastically.

"So there will be a feast tonight, will you be joining?"

"Sure I could use a good meal."

"Wonderful."

During the feast Zoe tried to seduce him but he wasn't paying any attention to her. He was too busy searching for Frida, why wasn't she dinning with them? She was a princess right? Then he glanced up at the clock and saw that it was almost seven.

"Excuse me."

He got up and went to the gardens. There Frida stood waiting for him wearing one of the very few dresses that she had managed to keep hidden from her stepsister. It was a white regency dress with short sleeves and had red thread stitched into the fabric. She wore a red cape and a matching red ribbon was tied in her hair while her locket hung around her neck.

"You're late." She said giggling. "I guess somethings never change."

"Sorry your sister kept me busy."

"I think you mean stepsister."

They could hear music coming from inside the castle. It was real bright and cheery, the kind that Frida hadn't heard in a long time.

"May I have this dance?" Manny asked bowing and kissing her hand.

"It would be my honor." She giggled while curtsying.

Their hands joined and they began to dance with each other cheerfully and playfully like they did as children. They laughed and smiled, overjoyed to be in each other's company after so long. When the song ended she broke away from him and started running.

"Can't catch me!" She called playfully.

He began chasing her all around the gardens, her laughter and smile teasing him to keep going.

"Give up Manny! You couldn't catch me when we were kids and you can't catch me now!"

"We'll see about that!"

He then ran backwards the other way and hid behind some bushes that Frida was running to. Once she got close enough he jumped out, grabbed her by the waist, and spun her around. Soon they were both dizzy with happiness and they fell down on to the grass.

"Caught you this time." He teased.

"Yes you did but you won't next time." She assured him.

Once their laughter died down their eyes met and they found themselves unable to look at the other person.

"You know Frida you're really beautiful."

"That's strange last time we met you said that I looked like some ugly frog."

"Well I lied and I was a boy. If I had told you what I really thought of you, the other boys would've made fun of me."

"And what did you really think of me?"

He blushed hard and it took him awhile to answer.

"If you want to know the truth I thought you were the most beautiful girl in the whole world."

Now it was her turn to blush, she felt her heart beat pick up. What was this feeling? Was this love? Was she falling for the silly little boy she knew during her childhood?

"Frida during the feast I didn't see you at the table." He said breaking her thoughts. "Don't you eat at the royal dinning table?"

"I already told you, I'm not a princess anymore I'm a maid now."

"Why?"

"I don't know she hates me."

"But why?"

"I don't know but we never got along not even as children. Ever since Papa died she and her mother have made my life miserable. You visiting was the only thing that made me happy."

"You're that miserable huh?"

"Yep."

"Then why don't you come live with me?"

"What?"

"You'll be treated way better back in my kingdom and you said so yourself you're only happy when you see me."

"Yes but...Are you sure? I mean I'm pretty hard to live with."

"I know but I don't care. I'm not going to leave you here when all you have is misery, I want you to be happy."

"Really?"

"Really, really. So what do you say?"

"Alright I'll go with you."

"Then we'll leave tomorrow."

"When?"

"In the morning."

"I'll be waiting."

"Okay."

They hugged each other and smiled while blushing unaware that Zoe was watching them through her window. She was now overcome with some much anger and jealousy that she couldn't stand it any longer. Seeing her pesky little stepsister swoop in and steal her prince was the final straw, she would not allow her to live any longer. So she summoned her huntsman Tonio to her throne room and instructed him to take Frida away tomorrow.

"Take her far into the forest, find some secluded glade where she can distract herself by picking flowers or skipping stones."

"Yes your majesty." Tonio replied.

"And there my faithful huntsman you will kill her." She ordered.

"But your majesty! The little princess!" He gasped horrified.

"Silence!" She snapped. "You know the penalty if you fail."

"Yes your majesty." He agreed reluctantly.

"But to make doubly sure you do not fail, bring back her heart in this." She said holding up a wooden chest.


	4. Chapter 4

"Why are you wearing that same dress?" Manny asked her the next day as they got ready to leave.

"Well it's the only nice dress I have, I don't want your parents to see me in rags also this is my favorite. You know it was my mother's when she was a girl."

"Figures can't say I'm surprised that it looks so good on you. You and your mother do look a lot alike."

"I don't get why people say that. I mean I don't see the resemblance, my mother was a beautiful woman and I'm...I'm just me."

"Yeah you're just you, the most beautiful woman of all."

She blushed again.

"So did you ever meet my mother?"

"Once. I was about two years old."

"Do you remember her?"

"Not really but she used to be friends with my mother and she told me a lot of things about her."

"Like what?"

"That she was smart and kind and that your father loved her very much."

"I knew that. So you sure your parents don't mind me coming?"

"Of course. You know they love you, you're like the daughter they never had."

"Can't wait to see them, they've always been so kind to me."

"Yes but don't pay too much attention to what they say."

"Why?"

"Well I sent them a message about my plan and now they think it means you and I will be getting married soon."

"What? That's crazy." Frida laughed.

"That's what I told them. But then Father started making wedding plans and Mother is talking about how she couldn't wait for you to bear her three grandchildren."

"Me bear three children? I'm not even engaged and she's already talking about me going through childbirth?"

"She and Father have been pushing me to settle down for awhile."

"Eager much?"

"Ya think."

"For once I'm glad my father's not here, if he was and he knew about this supposed wedding he wouldn't stand for it."

"Your father never did like me. He only let us be friends because our mothers were so close."

"Remember when my father and my stepmother got married and at the wedding I was so mad about the whole thing because I didn't want a new mother so you we decided to run away together?"

"I remember that. We tried to get the priest to marry us before we left."

"Your parents thought it was so cute."

"Your father didn't, he tried to have me thrown in the dudgeon for kidnap and I was only nine."

They laughed at how silly and ridiculous their parents could be. However unknown to Frida, Manny was considering popping the question but he wanted to wait til Frida had time to settle in and live with them for awhile but he forgot that neither one of his parents could keep a secret. He only hoped that wouldn't blow his surprise when they got there.

"Listen I have an idea. Before we go let's skip a couple of stones?"

"Bet I can beat you."

"Oh if you're so sure let's make this a little interesting."

"Okay if I win I get your sword."

"No way! You could cut yourself!"

"If you can learn to use it so can I."

"Alright but if I win you have to give me...a kiss."

She blushed harder than she ever had in all her life.

"Deal." She said smiling shyly.

They went to the lake and began skipping stone's across it's surface. Unaware that their plans would be put on hold because at that moment Tonio and Chakal, Zoe's most loyal servant were getting ready to perform her evil order.

"I don't think I can do this." Tonio said.

"If you don't it will be your head." Chakal said.

"But I've known her since she was a babe, I watched her grow up."

"So did I and in my opinion she was always a brat. Now I'll take out the prince you lead the young lady away from here and do as your told."

"Oh may God forgive me." Tonio sighed.

"Ha! I win!" Manny cheered.

"You cheated! You have a stronger arm than mine." Frida protested.

"Doesn't matter I won so..."

They were both blushing all over, after a moment of shy silence Frida closed her eyes and gently leaned in with her lips ready. Manny closed his eyes and leaned in as well. Their lips had nearly touched when...

"Excuse me Princess Frida." Tonio interrupted making her step back in embarrassment while Manny slightly growled under his breath.

"What is it Tonio?" She asked.

"I need you to come assist me with something."

"With what?"

"The queen craves stew so I need to get some herbs but they ones needed grow in a patch of thorns and my arm is to large and thick to reach them. Would you mind gathering them before you leave."

"Sure I'll be right back Manny."

She left with Tonio to do as he asked. However Manny couldn't help but suspect something was off. Tonio was very pale, sweaty, and somewhat shaking. Like he was afraid of something or about to do something very bad.

"Hey wait a minute Frida- Oof!"

Chakal had knocked him out with a nearby tree branch.

"I always thought you were a brat too." He scoffed at the unconscious boy.

Tonio led Frida over to a secluded glade and directed her over to a patch of thorns. While her back was turned he pulled a dagger from his belt and stalked toward her. When she heard a stick snap from him stepping on it she turned around and let out a small scream when she saw the sharp blade raised toward her. Paralyzed with shock and fear she could only close her eyes and hope that she wouldn't suffer any pain. But Tonio was unable to harm one so beautiful and innocent.

"I can't! I can't do it!" He dropped the dagger and fell at her feet. "Forgive me! I beg you your highness! Forgive me!"

"I don't understand." Frida said confused. "Tonio why are you-"

"She's mad! Jealous of you! She'll stop at nothing!"

"Who?"

"The queen."

"The queen? Zoe?"

"She ordered me to kill you!"

"What? So am I to be killed like my father?"

"Your father was a very good man, he had always been very kind to me. So in return I'll let you live. You must run! Run far away from here! Run! Hide anywhere! But never come back!"

"But what about Manny?"

"Being with him puts him in danger of the queen's wrath! Now! Go! Hide! Run! Go!"

At his word she began running through the forest. She didn't understand what was happening or why. She always knew Zoe didn't like her but would she never thought that she would want to kill her. God bless Tonio, the man looked scared out of his mind by Zoe's order and even more scared if she had discovered that he let her live. She ran and ran until she tripped over a root and fell down sobbing. What was to become of her now? She couldn't go home, she couldn't go back to Manny, what could she do? She continued to cry until she was startled by the sound of wings fluttering. She looked up to see a bluebird perched on a branch.

"Oh hello." She said. "Where did you come from?"

The bird only chirped. Frida got up and walked toward it, instead of flying away like most birds it just fluttered into her hand. She remembered servants telling her that her mother always believed that if a bird didn't fly away when you went near it, it considered you a friend and would help you one day.

"Listen I don't know if you can understand me but I'm lost and I don't know where to go, can you help me?"

The bird chirped again then flew off of her hand and spread it's wings out to tell her to follow it. Which she did, hoping it would lead her to somewhere she could rest.


	5. Chapter 5

The bird led Frida to an area of land that lay somewhere in the middle of the forest and in that area was a small cottage. She knocked on the door three times, no one answered but the door was unlocked. She went inside and found that while the outside of the cottage was very nice and pretty, the inside was complete wreck. Furniture turned over, dirty dishes piled up in the sink, ash, soot, and dirty luandry on the floors, and dust and cobwebs covering the window, fireplace, and every other part of the cottage.

"What a dump." Frida said. "No one could possibly live here, must've been abandoned. This is great! If no one lives here then I'm free to move in."

The bird nodded in agreement.

"Of course some things are gonna have to change. I'm not living in a filth pile. Looks like I'm gonna have to get cleaning again."

So she began cleaning up the house best she could. She swept the fireplace, scrubbed the floors, washed all the dishes and clothes, dusted the furniture, and put all the furniture back up to the way it was meant to be. Once she was done she realized that she was starving and searched the cupboards for something to eat. She found flour, yeast, butter, and eggs. 

"Bread it is." She decided.

So she put her baking skills to the test and began mixing the flour, yeast, butter, and eggs together to make thick bread dough. Once the dough was properly stirred and kneaded she poured it into a pan, lit the oven, and slid the pan inside. 

"There we go and while that cooks I think I'll take a little nap."

She went upstairs into the next room where she found three beds. She climbed into one and fell fast asleep. Little did she know that someone was still living in the cottage and would be arriving home soon. This cottage was home to three miners: Davi, Toshiro, and T.J. They worked in the mines and they used to bring jewels to King Emiliano and Queen Carmela. But after the king died, Queen Carmelita had them banished from the kingdom. Now they lived in the woods struggling everyday to keep themselves going.

"Alright boys that's enough!" T.J announced to them in the mines. "Time to head back."

"Aye sir!" The other two replied.

They put the jewels they found to day in their safe and then went back home.

"Heigh-ho! Heigh-ho! It's home to work we go." 

"Davi, Toshiro don't start singing that song again!" T.J said annoyed.

"Killjoy." The others muttered.

"Geez we're miners not dwarfs."

When they arrived they were shocked to find the light to their cottage on.

"The house!" Davi gasped. "The lit's light! I mean the light's lit!"

"Who left on? Toshiro?" T.J accused.

"It wasn't me." 

"Look footsteps." Davi pointed out. "And they're nothing like ours and they lead straight to the house."

"So somebody sneaked in huh?" T.J said.

"What do we do?"

"Looks like we're gonna have to investigate."

"But what if it's a big, mean, scary monster?" Toshiro said shaking.

"Oh be a man! Pick axes are good for more than mining for diamonds you know."

"He's right whatever in is our house we have to drive it out." Davi declared. "Come on men."

Gathering up their courage they went inside their house and to their great surprise they found that it had been cleaned from top to bottom. Not a single speck of dirt or dust remained anywhere. For a moment they doubted if this really was their house.

"The floor, it's been swept." Davi pointed out.

"Somebody stole all the dishes." Toshiro said looking in the empty now sink.

"They're not stolen, they're in the cupboard you moron." T.J scolded.

"Oh....Huh silly me. Heh, heh. When did we get a maid?"

"We didn't." 

"Whoever's in our house must've cleaned it." Davi realized.

"Oh how nice. We should thank him or her."

"But we don't know who this person is? What if they're a ghost or goblin or a demon or a dragon?"

"A ghost, goblin, demon or dragon who cleans?" T.J said doubtfully. 

"What? It could happen."

"Oye...I'm surrounded by idiots."

"Hey!"

"Alright it's obvious if this intruder isn't down here they've got to be upstairs so let's send someone up to check."

"But who's it gonna be?"

T.J and Davi then turned to Toshiro and grinned.

"Oh no not me!"

But they sent him up anyway. He swallowed hard and nervously made his way up the steps and toward the door to their bedroom. He slowly creaked the door open and saw lying on the beds underneath blankets. When the thing lying underneath suddenly moved a little it scared him into running downstairs in a frenzy and bumping into the other two.

"What's gotten into you?" Davi asked.

"It's up there!" Toshiro blubbered in fear.

"What was it doing?"

"It was sleeping in our beds."

"If it's a asleep then we can sneak up on it and get it." T.J said grabbing his pick axe.

"I don't know should we really wake them up? It's kind of rude don't you think?" Toshiro suggested.

"Grab your pick axe and let's go."

They carefully and quietly walked upstairs and like Toshiro they slowly creaked the door open. They slowly and quietly approached the beds, Davi grabbed part of the blankets giving T.J and Toshiro the signal to attack when he pulled it off. The two miners raised their pick axes up and prepared themselves to attack the intruder. In a swift move Davi pulled off the blanket and T.J and Toshiro started to strike only to stop when they saw that it was a girl sleeping under there.

"It's a girl." Davi said.

"Where'd she come from?" T.J asked.

"She's beautiful." Toshiro complimented. "Just like an angel."

"Oh brother don't start going mushy on me please." T.J groaned in annoyance. 

"Shh! You'll wake her up." Davi said.

"Well good then we can tell her to leave."

"But that would be rude." Toshiro said.

"Who cares? She's trespassing."

"Look she's moving!" Davi said noticing Frida moving over to her side. "She's waking up!"

"What do we do?" Toshiro said.

"Tell her to leave." T.J said.

"No!" The other two said.

Frida sat up, yawned, and stretched. When she was fully awake she was startled to see three men looking at her.

"Whoa! Where did you three come from?" She asked.

"We live here." T.J said. 

"Someone actually lives here?"

"Yes! And you're trespassing little missy!"

"Oh I'm sorry I didn't know. I thought this place was abandoned since the door was unlocked and everything was such a mess. So what are your names?"

"I'm Davi."

"I'm Toshiro."

"I'm T.J."

"Nice to meet you." She said.

"And just who are you?" T.J said.

"If you don't mind telling us my dear." Davi said politely.

"Oh right. Sorry, I'm Frida."

"The princess?" They gasped. 

"Yep that's me."

"We are very honored and-" Davi started.

"We're mad as hornets." T.J said.

"We're mad as hornets- No we're not we're bad as cornets- No as mad as- What was I saying?!"

"Nothing just sputtering there like an idiot."

"Just who are you calling an idiot?"

"Oh shut up and tell her to get out of here."

"Wait! Please don't send me away." Frida begged. "If you do she'll kill me."

"Who?" They asked.

"My stepsister the queen."

"The queen!" They gasped in fear.

"She's horrible!" Davi said.

"She's evil!" Toshiro said.

"She's an old witch that's what she is." T.J said. "Just like her no good mother was and she finds this girl here she'll take her fury out on us."

"But she doesn't know where I am." Frida said.

"Oh she doesn't huh? She knows everything. I swear to you by my right hand she has a way of finding out everything. I don't know how she does it but she does and she knows black magic so she could do anything."

"How do you know all this?" Davi asked him.

"My father told me. He used to work at the castle and he saw that girl's mother turn someone into a snail and step on em. I'm warning ya if that girl is anything like her mother and I'm sure she is, she'll find us and turn us all into toads."

"Oh I don't worry she'll never find me." Frida assured them. "And I won't stay long, just until I find out what happened to Manny."

"Who's he?" Davi said.

"He's a good of friend of mine and he must be very worried about me right about now so I'll have to start searching for him soon but in the mean time if you let me stay here I won't be any trouble. I'll clean and sew and cook-"

"Cook?!" Davi and Toshiro said hungrily. "What can you cook?"

"Well I can cook bread and stew and chicken and apple dumplings and plum pudding and gooseberry pie."

"Gooseberry pie!" The two cheered. "Horray! She stays!'

Frida laughed at their eagerness. She had a feeling that living with them would be fun. Meanwhile somewhere near the forest one of the castle maids Mrs. Chiquita was out gathering nuts and berries to make stuffing when she spotted Manny's unconscious body. She began to gently shake him awake.

"Your highness? Your highness? Are you alright?"

"Where's...Where's Frida?" Manny asked waking up.

"No one has seen her."

At that very moment the royal guards appeared.

"There he is! After him!"

"Wait! I found him here on the ground! He hasn't done anything!" She defended.

Manny quickly picked himself up off of the ground and ran off while Mrs. Chiquita kept the men at bay. He noticed that it had become very dark. How long had he been out? And what had happened to Frida? He hoped that she was alright where ever she was.


	6. Chapter 6

While Davi and Toshiro liked Frida immediately T.J wasn't so accepting of her. You see after Carmelita banished the miners he didn't trust royals. He thought that they were all selfish, greedy, and mean so he acted very hostile toward her. Try as she might, Frida just couldn't get T.J to like her. However Davi and Toshiro loved her, she kept the house clean, mended all their clothes that had tears and holes, told them stories, sang them songs, and cooked them delicious food. For instance today for dinner she was cooking them some hot beef stew, fresh warm bread, and for dessert sweet apple dumplings and cool milk to drink. When the three of them smelled the food cooking they rushed down stairs toward the table.

"Now wait a minute." She said. "Supper's not ready so it will give you three plenty of time to wash."

"Wash?" They said confused. 

"Yes, you three work in mines all day so no doubt your hands are filthy and you can't eat with dirty hands."

"Our hands aren't dirty." Davi said.

"Then let me see them if you're so sure." 

All three of them looked reluctant to do so but they gave in and showed her their hands which were covered in ash and coal dust.

"Not dirty huh?" She said raising her eye brow.

Davi and Toshiro blushed and grinned with embarrassment, T.J rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"March right outside and wash up or you won't get a bite to eat." She declared firmly.

"Yes ma'am." Davi and Toshiro said.

They walked outside where a tub of cold water with a bar of soap was waiting for them. T.J groaned and followed after them but he had no intention of washing his hands.

"Do we have to do this?" Toshiro asked. 

"It'll please the princess and you got admit we are pretty dirty." 

"Don't do it!" T.J objected. "I'm warning you, you give that girl an inch and she'll walk all over you."

"Don't listen to that warthog!" Davi said. "Come on let's get washing."

The two of them wet themselves with the water and scrubbed with the soap. They washed their hands and their faces until they were squeaky clean. 

"You guys are such sissies!" T.J teased. "You won't get me to wash for anything! Next thing you know that crazy girl with have you wearing bows and perfume." 

Davi grunted at his teasing and at that moment decided to teach him a little listen. He pulled Toshiro aside and whispered something in his ear. Toshiro nodded then the two walked over to T.J while whistling innocently. 

"Get him!" Davi shouted and the two tackled him and forced him into the tub where they began scrubbing him. 

"Get off me! Let me go you idiots!" T.J shouted as he was forcibly bathed. "I'll get you two for this! I'll get you good!" 

"Supper!" Frida called. 

The three boys then hungrily ran back into the house to eat their dinner. Frida was a very good cook and her food was delicious and the miners enjoyed it even T.J thought it was tasty but he wasn't going to tell her. He just sat at the table, ate his food, and gave her the silent treatment. He just didn't trust royals like her. 

Meanwhile back at the castle Manny had successfully been captured by the royal guards and locked in the dudgeon on the charge of  murder of the princess. Within a week he would be would either been sentenced to eternal in prisonment or immediate  exceution by beheading because everyone was convinced that he had abducted Frida and killed her. He sat there in the cold cell with shackles on his wrists and ankles, his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps. He looked up and saw Zoe standing on the other side holding a wooden box.

"Zoe you know I didn't kill Frida." He said. "You know I'd never hurt her."

"I know and I'd gladly have you released...on one small condition."

"What?" 

"Well I hear you've been seeking a wife, to marry the fairest in land to be exact so I will order your release if you take me as your bride."

"You can't be serious."

"I am. So what do you say?"

"Ummm...No."  

"Why? Because you're in love with that brat?" 

"Maybe I am."

"Well then you can rot in this cell for eternity for all I care and your affections for her are wasted because she's dead." 

"I don't believe that. She's still alive, I know it." He declared. "I'm going to get out of here Zoe and when I do I will find her and I will marry her. And she'll be the most beautiful queen in the world, more beautiful than you for sure."

"Silence!" She said slapping him and walking off.

"And you hit like a girl." He mumbled rubbing his cheek.

Zoe slammed the door to the dudgeon angrily and returned to the room where she kept the mirror. She stared proudly at her reflection then asked her usual question.

"Magic mirror on the wall, who now is the fairest one of all?" 

The mirror flashed and the misty image appeared again.

"Over the three jeweled hills, past the third fall, in the cottage of the three miners." The mirror spoke. "Dwells Frida fairest one of all." 

"Frida lies dead in the forest, the huntsman has brought me proof." She opened the box and showed the mirror the organ inside. "Be hold her heart."

"Frida still lives fairest in the land. Tis the heart of a pig you hold in your hand." 

"The heart of a pig?!" She gasped in horror and disgust. "I've been tricked!" 

Her eyes and face flashed with a great boiling and seething envy and rage. Tonio fell victim to Frida's beauty so deceived her which meant she was still alive and still possessing great beauty that outshined hers. Overcome with anger and jealousy greater than before she stormed down into the secret room where her mother kept all her spells and potions. 

"The heart of pig! The plundering fool!" She screamed throwing down the box. "Well Mother always said if you want something done right you have to do it yourself! And that's exactly what I plan to do!" 

She grabbed a book of dark spells and black magic. She opened it and began flipping through the pages until she found one that had disguise spells inside. 

"Perfect! She'd never suspect that!" 

She chose to disguise herself as an old peddler woman, she'd be old and ugly and completely unsuspected by Frida or anyone else. It was a potion which consisted of mummy dust, black of night, an old hag's cackle, and a scream of fright. She added the ingredients then mixed them with a blast of wind and a thunder bolt. The potion smoked and bubbled inside the goblet.

"Now begin the magic spell." She commanded.

She drank the potion, every last drop until the goblet was empty. It took immediate effect, her black hair turned white, her skin became wrinkled, her hands became bony with long finger nails, her voice became a horrid cackle, and her face disfigured into that of a hideous old woman.

"My hands!" She gasped. "My voice!" 

She grabbed a nearby hand mirror and looked at herself. 

"A perfect disguise!" She cackled when she saw her reflection in a in the mirror. "Neither Frida or anyone else will know it's me! This plan is brillant! And now how to deal with my little stepsister?" 

She flipped through the pages of the book looking at plenty of dark and evil spells and potions until she found a page containing the contents for a special death for one so fair.

"The poisoned apple." She said reading the page. "Just one bite from the poison apple and the victim's eyes will close forever in the sleeping death." 

She gave a vile grin. This deadly fruit would put an end to Frida's life once and for all. She just needed to gather the right ingredients needed to make the poison, convince Frida to take a bite, and then she would once again be the fairest one of all. She immediately began to gather up the ingredients and set to work.


	7. Chapter 7

Frida and the miners were quite happy with each other. Everyday the miners would go to work while Frida kept the house neat and tidy and when the miners came home she would have a delicious supper waiting for them. After dinner they would play music, dance, and play and just before bed Frida would sing for them. The miners loved hearing her sing for she had such a sweet voice. Even T.J enjoyed hearing her songs but he would never admit it. For many days they were happy until one day they noticed that Frida seemed awfully sad.

"Is something wrong Frida?" Davi asked her.

"Oh no I'm fine." She said.

"You don't sound fine."

"I guess I'm just thinking about my birthday. It's was weeks ago."

"Well don't birthdays make you happy?"

"No, for as long as I could remember my birthday has always made me sad."

"Why?"

"Because when I was born my mother died. So while it was my fourteenth birthday it was also the fourteenth anniversary of my mother's death."

Frida sighed. She couldn't help but blame herself for her mother's death. Had she never been born her mother might still be here, though her father and the servant's had always told her it wasn't her fault she still felt guilt over it. When her father was still alive he wanted her to have a happy birthday and not dwell on her mother's death so every year he would throw her wonderful parties and give her special gifts to take her mind off of her guilt. One of those special gifts was the locket that carried her mother's portrait in it, when her father gave it to her she swore that she would never take it off. She got it for her seventh birthday the last one she would ever have with her father.

After he died fighting in a battle and her stepmother forced her to be a scullery maid she never celebrated her birthday again and it made her continue to think of it as nothing more than a reminder that she caused her beloved mother's death.

"You musn't feel guilty." Davi said. "Your mother wouldn't have wanted that."

"How do you know what she would have wanted?"

"We happened to have been good friends of your mother."

"Really?"

"Yes." Toshiro said. "She was a kind and good woman." 

"And when she found out that she was going to have a child she was happier than she had ever been." Davi said. "Believe me she loved you before you were even born." 

"She sounds wonderful. I would have given anything to have known her just once, even if it was just for a moment." Frida said.

Frida opened her locket and looked at the portrait of her beloved mother inside of it.

"You look just like her." T.J observed. 

"Lots of people say that but I don't see the resemblance. She was beautiful." 

"And so are you." 

"T.J am I hearing things or did you just compliment someone?" Davi said.

"Oh shut up!" He scoffed. "Anyway so she died on your birthday that doesn't mean you killed her and hey at least you got a party." 

"No I didn't." She said. 

"What do you mean?" 

"Well after my father died my stepmother made me work as a maid and my birthday wasn't celebrated anymore." 

"Well in that case let's celebrate." Davi suggested.

"Davi my birthday was weeks ago." 

"So it's a late party? It'll still be fun. We'll have a cake and we'll give you a few gifts." 

"Oh you don't have to."

"But we want to." Toshiro said. 

So the next day the miners spent the whole day preparing a birthday party for her. They made an apple and honey cake for her and had three special gifts made just for her.

"Happy Birthday!" They said to her after dinner.

"Thank you." She said. "The cake looks delicious and I can't wait to see the gifts you got me." 

Davi got her a jewelry box that he had carved from wood, Toshiro made her a new pair of shoes, as for T.J he had difficulty finding her a gift. It had taken him nearly all day to find it.

"I love the jewelry box Davi and the shoes look great Toshiro." She said. "What did you get me T.J?" 

"Well don't get too excited it's nothing special. It's just something I found." 

He handed her a bundle of rags. 

"Oh...Rags...Well I'm sure they'll be very useful to me when I clean. Thank you." 

"The gift is in the rags." 

"Oh silly me." She unwrappedthe rags and became amazed to find a diamond the size of strawberry inside. "Oh T.J it's beautiful." 

"Wow what a rock!" Davi said surprised.

"I found it in the mines, I had been meaning to sell it but I thought it would a better gift. It's not too small is it?"  

"No it's perfect. I love it, thank you." 

She smiled, he blushed and nervously rubbed the back of his neck. 

"You know this is getting very dreary, why don't we lighten the mood with a little music." Toshiro said.

He pulles out drums. Davi joined him on the guitar while T.J played the piano. Together the three of them put on a little concert while Frida danced and sang. In the late evening they all went to bed but not before Frida told them another story.

"I think tonight I'll tell you about my friend Manny." She said. 

"Who's he?" T.J asked.

"He's the prince of another kingdom and he's best friend. One day when we were kids his father had given him a bow and arrow for hid ninth birthday and he was so excited about it that he went outside and shot it but back then he had a terrible aim and it got stuck in a tall tree. I offered to get it for him but he said I was too little so to prove him wrong I climbed up there to get it." 

"How did he react?" 

"He was so scared that I was going to fall and hurt myself. He kept saying over and over again, Frida please come down. In the end I got the arrow but the branch I was sitting on broke and I fell, I would've busted my head if Manny hadn't catched me, I was alright but he got a nasty bump. I felt so bad that I apologized to him twenty times but he told me that as long as I wasn't hurt it the pain was worth it. That's what I liked about him, he was always try to protect me no matter what it cost him." 

"Sounds like you meant a lot to him." 

"I did." 

"Sounds like he's in love with you to me." Davi teased.

Frida blushed. 

"No I was always just a silly little girl to him." 

"Where is he anyway?" T.J asked.

"I don't know. We were supposed to go to his kingdom but then...I had to run away. I hope he's alright wherever he is." 

"Sounds to me that you're in love with him as much as he is with you." Davi said. 

She smiled. 

"Well...Maybe just a little." She giggled. "Still I really wish I knew if he was okay or not. I'm so worried about him." 

"I'm sure he's fine and I bet at this very moment he's looking everywhere for you." 

"I hope so."  

"You know if you'd like we could look for him." Toshiro suggested. 

"Really? You would do that?" 

"Sure." 

"Oh thank you. Thank you all so much." 

 Just then the clock went off.

"Well we better get to bed." She said standing up.

She went to the bedroom upstairs while the miners slept downstairs. They insisted that she have the bedroom since she was a young lady.

"Goodnight boys." She said.

"Goodnight Frida." They said.

She went into the room and got the beds unmade. But before going to sleep she got on her knees and began to pray.

"Dear God thank you do much for the miners who have been so kind to me. Bless them all, please take care of my mother and father in heaven, and please make sure nothing happens to Manny and that we find each other soon ahmen." 

When she finished her prayers she crawled into bed and fell asleep. 


	8. Chapter 8

Alone in the darkness of the castle dungeon, Zoe now wretched old hag was standing over a cauldron mixing up a deadly poison. She then dipped an apple into the brew, the poison seeped in turning the fruit extremely deadly. The apple then turned blood red so that it would be able to tempt anyone who saw it to hunger for a bite.

"One bite and Frida will be lost forever. But I better make sure there's no antidote."

Zoe checked the spell book and turned to the page about the poisoned apple. Just as she had feared, she found that there was indeed an antidote. The victim of the sleeping death could only be revived by love's first kiss.

"Bah!" Zoe cried throwing the book. "No fear of that! Those miners will think she's dead and she'll be buried alive!"

The old hag then cackled, placed the posioned red apple in a basket of regular, yellow and green apples, then left for her chambers unaware that Mrs. Chiquita had overheard the whole thing. She quickly raced down to the dudgeon where Chakal was keeping an eye on the prisoners but at that moment he was sleeping on the job. She swiped the keys from his belt and went to the cell where Manny was being held.

"Prince Manny." She whispered.

"Mrs. Chiquita what are you doing here?" He asked her.

"No time to explain." She said unlocking the cell door. "You must escape and find Frida, I fear that something very dreadful is going to be fall her."

"I will find her." He vowed. "I promise but you better get out of here before someone sees."

"Good luck brave prince."

The old maid then hurried off while Manny made his escape. Suddenly Chakal awoke.

"Guards! Come quick! The prince is escaping!"

Guards came racing toward the young man but he was very agile and fast. He jumped up ran over top of them while stepping on their heads. He then ran down the hall and upstairs. He was halfway to the door when Chakal blocked his way with a sword.

"Not so fast Prince Charming, you're not going anywhere." He said.

From behind Manny came Tonio with a bow and arrow.

"Well don't just stand there! Shoot him you fool!" Chakal demanded.

Tonio lifted his bow up and made his aim. He pulled back and an arrow was fired but it didn't hit Manny. It hit Chakal right in the shoulder.

"Hurry your highness you don't have much time!" Tonio told him.

"Thank you."

Manny ran out of the castle, grabbed a horse from the stables, and rode off into the woods. Unfortunately for him before leaving Zoe decided to consult her mirror to see if anything would stand in her way. The mirror then showed her an image of him escaping.

"Well we can't have him warning anyone about me." She grabbed her spell book, flipped through some pages, and then read an incantation. She cast a spell on the forest that would ensure that Manny would become hopelessly lost and never find his way out until she was dead. She then took her basket of apples and made her way into the forest to find the cottage.

Speaking of which, at that moment Davi, Toshiro, and T.J were leaving for work.

"Now don't forget Frida the queen is very clever so beware of strangers." Davi warned her.

"Don't worry about me I'll be careful." She then kissed his forehead making him blush.

"Yes trust no one." Toshiro added.

"I won't." She kissed his forehead too making him blush as well.

"We're serious!" T.J said sternly. "Don't let no one or nothing in the house. Got that?"

"Awww and here I thought you didn't care."

She kissed him on the forehead like with the others. He blushed but he tried in vain to hide it. The miners then left to work.

"You know I think T.J is starting to like me." She said. "Maybe I'll do something nice for him."

She went to gather a basket of gooseberries then set to work on making pie dough and gooseberry filling. She spread the dough in the pan, poured in the filling, covered it with more dough, then put it in the oven to bake. When it was done it became a delicious gooseberry pie.

"There we go. I hope T.J likes it."

Suddenly a shadow fell over her and she was startled by the sudden appearance of an old hag who was at the window.

"Whoa! Oh you scared me."

"All alone dearie?" The old woman said grinning at her with crooked teeth.

"Um...Yes I am."

"Making pies?" She asked sniffing the air.

"Yes it's gooseberry pie."

"If you ask me apple pies are a lot more delicious. Especially made from apples like these." She held up the basket of apples for her to see.

"They do look delicious."

"Don't they? May I come in and show you just how sweet and juicy my apples are?"

"Sorry lady but I don't know you and I'm not really supposed to let anyone in."

"But I'm so old and tired from traveling over the mountains and besides I'm just a poor old peddlar. What harm can I do?"

"It's nothing personal but I'm not supposed to let anyone in."

The old hag looked at the well that was by the house and thought of an idea.

"Then may I help myself to some water from your well as I am unbearably thirsty."

"Sure go right ahead."

"Thank you."

The old woman went to the well and began to pull on the rope but she seemed to be having a difficult time with it.

"The bucket won't come up! I'm too old and feeble to raise it!" She cried trying to sound weak.

She then collapsed to the ground on her knees. Thinking that the old woman could be hurt Frida went outside to help her up.

"Are you alright?" She asked her.

"Oh my heart!" The hag shrieked clutching the chest. "Oh my poor old heart! Oh please take me inside! Let me sit down! A drink of water please!"

Frida knew that she shouldn't but this old woman looked tired and hurt so she helped her into the house, sat her down in a nearby chair, and brought her a cup of water to drink.

"Thank you my child." She said after sipping from the cup. "I apologize for troubling you so but this old heart of mine sometimes comes dangerously close to giving out."

"It's okay I understand and I guess you can stay and rest for a little while."

"It warms my poor old heart that such a young and beautiful thing like you would show kindness to such an old and ugly thing like myself."

"Will you be alright? Do you need a doctor?"

"No dearie I'll be just fine. You know I think a girl as sweet as you deserves a reward."

"That's not necessary."

"Nonsense sweet thing, take one of my apples."

"No thanks I don't have any money."

"Oh there's no charge not after you helped me. Here you can have the prize of my basket."

She held up a blood red apple that had no bumps or bruises with a shiny peel. It looked perfect. Like the most delicious apple in all creation.

"It does look good but I don't know."

"What's matter? Don't like apples?"

"No but I don't think I should."

"Do you think my apples have worms?"

"No but I don't think my friends would like it if I took it."

"What harm is there in an apple? Besides I have a feeling that you must be hungry right now."

Frida suddenly became aware of her growling stomach and of the fact that she hadn't eaten breakfast today. The miners had eaten all the porridge she had made and forgot to save her some. It would be hours before dinner would be ready and the pie she made was too hot to eat right now. She figured there was no harm in taking one small bite of the apple.

"Alright I guess I could have just one taste."

The old hag grinned at her then placed the apple in her hand. Frida examined the fruit cautiously, when it seemed like nothing was wrong with it she brought the apple to her lips and took a bite. But as soon she swallowed that piece of apple she found herself unable to breathe. She started coughing, trying so hard to catch her breath but was unable to do so.

"Can't breathe dear? Well should've known better than to take fruit from strangers!" The old hag cackled.

"Wha...What did you to me? Who...Who are you?"

She was starting feel dizzy and light headed, everything she saw was getting fuzzy however she could see something perfectly clear. It was the old hag's eyes which were a familiar shade of purple.

"Zo...Zoe?"

"Sleep well sister dear."

Those were the last words Frida heard before everything went black and she fell to the floor dropping the apple from her limp hand. Zoe let out a horrible, cackling laugh as she watched Frida lose consciousness.

"Now I'll be fairest in the land!"


	9. Chapter 9

At that very moment the three miners had returned home and they saw Zoe fleeing the cottage.

"Hey who's that running away!" Davi shouted when he saw her.

"It's an old woman!" Toshiro said. "Why was she in the house?"

"Did she hurt Frida?" Davi said getting worried.

"It's the queen! After her!" T.J shouted.

With their lanterns and pick axes they chased after the hag. Despite the fact that she was now in the form of an old woman, Zoe was still able to run very fast but the miners were younger than her now so she wasn't able to outrun them. Night had fallen and it was a dark and stormy night making it hard for her and the miners to run through the forest. Rain poured, thunder clapped, and lighting struck. It was a terrifying night but not terrifying enough to stop the miners from going after the evil woman who harmed their friend.

Zoe spotted a nearby cliff and thought that she could escape them by climbing up all the way to the top. Unfortunately for her they weren't going to let some high cliff stop them either and she found herself at the end of the cliff with no where else to go.

"I'm trapped! What do I do?" She realized. "Meddling little fools! I'll fix you!"

She spotted a nearby boulder and thought of an idea on how she could get rid of them. She broke a branch off of a tree and used it to start pushing the boulder toward them.

"I'll crush your bones into the ground!" Zoe laughed.

When the miners saw the boulder coming they quickly retreated back down the cliff. Zoe cackled wickedly, she would kill the miners by sending the boulder down to crush them to death then she would return to the castle to reclaim her title as the fairest one of all. Nothing would stop her now. Nothing except a lighting bolt which struck the part of the cliff where she stood, cumbling it to pieces, and sending her falling toward her death. She let out one last, wretched, screech before she hit the ground and died followed by the boulder that fell down after her and crushed her body.

The miners climbed back up to the top of the cliff and looked down in shock at what remained of the evil queen. They each let out a breath of relief when they realized that she was dead and that she would never harm anyone again. But their relief soon turned to grief when they returned to the cottage to find Frida's body lying on the floor with no sign of life whatsoever. They tried everything they could to wake her. They splashed water in her face, loosened her dress so she could breathe easier, and even took her to every doctor and miracle man they knew but nothing worked. She remained motionless with no breath. She was gone.

Devestated and heartbroken, the three miners mourned her for a very long time. They wept, cried, and sobbed bitterly and they prayed to God that somehow, someway, he would bring her back to them but it would seem that their prayers would not be answered so they were forced to accept the fact that she would never wake. However she was far too beautiful to bury in the dark earth so they had coffin made of glass built for and decorated it with flowers. Then they laid her in the coffin and placed it in the middle of the forest so all the world could admire her great beauty. Days went by and despite being seemingly dead Frida did not decay. To the contrary her skin only seemed to glow brighter while her cheeks seemed to become more rosy. It almost like she wasn't really dead but just sleeping. As for the miners they watched over her protectively and made sure nothing disturbed her.

Meanwhile due to Zoe's spell, poor Manny had been wandering through the forest for the longest time becoming aimlessly lost, fearing that he would never see Frida again. But Zoe's death had weakened the spell until it was broken completely and when he heard talk of a blue haired maiden who was more beautiful than fallen snow staying with miners he immediately began to seek them out. At last he found the cottage where they lived.

"Can we help you sir?" Davi asked when he saw him.

"Yes my name is Manny, I'm prince of a neighboring kingdom not too far from here. I'm looking for a young woman, her name is Frida and I heard that she's been living with you all. Is she here?"

The three miners all gave him melancholy looks of pity when they realized who he was. He was the young prince who Frida had loved so much.

"Please tell me she's here. I've been looking for her for heaven knows how long."

It hurt them to inform him that all his searching had been for nothing. That the woman he loved was no more.

"What's going on? Is she here or not?"

"She's here." Davi said in a melancholy voice. "But you're too late."

"What does that mean?"

"She's gone." T.J said.

"Gone? What do you mean gone?" Though he could tell by their looks what they meant part of him still hoped that it wasn't the case. "You mean she left?"

The miners shook their heads.

"Follow us." Toshiro said.

Manny followed the miners into the forest until they reaches the glass coffin that held the blue haired maiden. When he saw her he felt as if a knife had pierced his heart.

"We're so sorry." T.J said. "We did everything we could."

Manny couldn't walk, he couldn't stand, he found himself wobbling over to the coffin while tears streamed down his face.

"No...No...No!...No! No! No! No please no!"

He then collapsed on to the coffin's lid and began to cry. He had failed her. For three days and three nights he never left her side. He just say there crying, blaming himself for what happened to her. The miners pitied him greatly for they could all see is undying love for her.

"You can't stay here forever you know." T.J said.

"I know but I don't know if I can leave her. How can I go on?"

"You've got to. It's what she would've wanted."

"Let me say goodbye. One last time."

T.J, Davi, and Toshiro lifted the lid off of the coffin allowing Manny to kneel down by Frida's side. He gazed at her with both love and grief as he prepared to bid her farewell. He then leaned over and gently pressed his lips to hers in a soft kiss. It was his first kiss and hers as well, a perfect way to say goodbye. His lips then parted from hers and he turned to leave. Suddenly he heard a soft breath being taken in, turning back to the coffin he watched in amazement as Frida's eyes fluttered open and she sat up.

"Huh? What's going on?" She asked confused.

"You're alive!" Manny said relieved.

Hearing the familiar voice she looked over to her side and felt a great joy come over her when she saw who the voice belonged to.

"You...You found me." She said overjoyed.

"Did you ever doubt I would?" He said equally overjoyed.

She threw her arms around her neck as the two embraced.

"I thought I'd never see you again." She said.

"It's alright now. I found you and I swear I'm never going to lose you again." He vowed.

Manny then took Frida into his arms and carried her over to his horse. T.J, Davi, and Toshiro cheered joyfully when they saw her alive and immediately rushed to her. She have each of them a hug and kiss on their forehead then she thanked them for everything they had done for her and said goodbye. After that Manny put her on his horse and the two rode back to his kingdom where eventually they were married in a glorious wedding that was witnessed by everyone including the miners who had been invited. After the wedding the two lived together in Manny's castle and lived happily ever after.

**Author's Note:**

> This is one of the five Disney AU fanfics I'll be writing. Three are El Tigre and two will be Steven Universe and they will be fairy tale ones.


End file.
